Thinking About Retiring

[dthomasss]

I have been working in LOS 5 years with work permits, and I am giving some thought to retiring. Is there a simple way to convert over without having to leave the country and starting from the beginning?

[Tomkagai]

You can do it in country and change over onto O retirement visa no problem (at least in Pattaya), know quite a few guys who have done this....still need to comply with the O requirments ie cash in the bank etc

[BigSnake]

Go for it, how ask your self the age old question retire to what?

[dthomasss]

Many little things I can dabble in.. I just want the visa to make it the easiest to keep living here.

Go for it, how ask your self the age old question retire to what?

[Big A]

Although I am a few years shy of the big 50, I am starting to accumulate bits n bobs of info re: a Retirement Visa. I don't have a W/P and am not working. I have well in excess of B800K in a bank in Thailand.

Can a Non Immigrant 'O' (multi entry) be converted to an O-A Retirement visa without having to leave Thailand? If so, is a police clearance (from home country or Thailand) required?

Edited March 20, 2008 by Big A

[Lite Beer]

I have been working in LOS 5 years with work permits, and I am giving some thought to retiring. Is there a simple way to convert over without having to leave the country and starting from the beginning?

If you are over 50 you can change over to a yearly extension of stay if you have 800.000 Baht in the bank. Can do in Thailand. 2000 Baht to change to Non O and 1,900 Baht for the year extension. No police clearance needed.

[lopburi3]

Can a Non Immigrant 'O' (multi entry) be converted to an O-A Retiremant visa without having to leave Thailand? If so, is a police clearance (from home country or Thailand) required?

There is no conversion required - your applying for an extension of stay - not a visa. Long stay (retirement) is normally issued on a non immigrant O visa entry. The O-A is a pre-approved entry/extension obtain in your home country - not in Thailand.

So, when over age 50, during the last 30 days of any non immigrant O visa entry you visit immigration with the financial document(s), passport, departure card, 4x6cm photo and TM.7 form with 1,900 baht (copies of all documents). You then receive a one year extension of stay from your current permitted to stay until date. There is no police clearance requirement.

[KamnanT]

Many little things I can dabble in.. I just want the visa to make it the easiest to keep living here.

The OA visa is definitely the more straightforward way to go, but if your dabbling includes anything that would require a work permit, be aware that work permits generally aren't available to OA visa/extension of stay holders.

If you're serious about staying long term and want to have the option of continuing to work, have you considered permanent residency? If you've been working here continuously for 5 years and earning a decent wage (>= THB80,000 per month), you may qualify. The downside is that the process takes 12-18 months and if you are accepted, the fees are high. And a police clearance is required from both the RTP and your home country.

[naka]

Go for it, how ask your self the age old question retire to what?

A life of leisure with a hard won fortune ... what else ?

Naka.